Fishing and Hunting :: VisitSouthJersey.com

Burlington Camden Gloucester Mercer Salem And Beyond

SOUTH JERSEY forevergreen

Find us on Facebook»

Fishing and Hunting

Break out the rods, reels and waders. South Jersey is a fisherman's (and fisherwoman's) paradise. The hunting is pretty good, too.

If you think a bad day of fishing beats a good day of anything else, hop into your waders and head to South Jersey’s fish-filled waters. The State’s Department of Fish & Wildlife manages and stocks more than eight dozen lakes, ponds and reservoirs where you can launch your canoe, power up your motorboat or wade into the waters to try to catch dinner. Some spots are small and quiet – like the five-acre Riverview Beach Pond. Others are huge – like the 250-acre Mirrow Lake. So you can pick the spot that suits your mood.

View all items (A-Z)

SPOTLIGHT

Pinelands Adventures

The best way to get to know the Pinelands is to get out there and explore them and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance’s Adventure programs have lots of ways for you to do just that. Trek deep into the wilderness, paddle the Pinelands rivers, learn survival skills or if you dare, if you think you have what it takes, dare to hunt for the mysterious Jersey Devil.

Scotland Run Park

Some places were just meant for picnics. And boating. And fishing. That’s Scotland Run Park. You can’t beat 940 acres of parkland and trails for hiking or biking and the 80-acre Wilson Lake. Add in the nature center, where naturalists host dozens of programs for kids and adults, and Scotland Run Park is the perfect place for a picnic … and so much more.

ITEMS WITHIN Fishing and Hunting

< Previous1 2 Next >

Follow the pink blazes posted along cedar swamps, through flat lands and over sandy trails, and you’ll traverse 50 miles of one of the most famous trails along the East Coast. Winding through Wharton State Forest, Brendan Byrne State Forest and Bass River State Forest, the Batona Trail offers hikers, cross country skiers and snowshoers of all abilities challenging but very do-able paths.

Belleplain State Forest

Make it a day trip – or an overnight adventure – at Belleplain State Forest and you’ll be hooked. The 21,300 acre forest is just what the outdoor-lover ordered. By day, you can fish, go boating, swim, picnic, bike, hike or challenge yourself along the physical fitness trail. By night, bunk down at one of hundreds of spots for tent, trailer, yurt or lean-to camping sites.

Bordentown Beach Canoe/Kayak Launch

Since it was settled by the Quakers in 1682, the Delaware River has played a significant role in the history of Bordentown. Centuries later, the river still defines the town. The Bordentown Beach and Boat Ramp offers a small picnic area and a paved boat ramp where you can load in your canoe or kayak for a day of paddling. Be sure to check the tide schedules though because the waters can rise or fall as much as eight feet.

Cape May Point State Park

Best known as the site of Cape May Lighthouse, Cape May Point State Park's changing shore line, dunes, pond and freshwater coastal marsh have made the area a favorite place to see the fall bird migration. The natural area includes several blazed trails where wildlife can be seen from observation platforms. Don't forget to check out the Cape May Lighthouse. Still a navigational aid open to the public, visitors who climb the steps to the top are rewarded with a view of the Cape May Penin

Cove Campers Summer Camp

If you are dreading the kids’ traditional summer chant of “I’m bored,” the Cove Campers Summer Camp is for you . . . and them. The half-day environmental education program will have kids clamoring for more. During their sessions at Palmyra Cove Nature Park, kids entering grades 3 – 6 will have the chance to engage in all kinds of hands-on activities that will introduce them to the wonders of nature and the importance of keeping it safe.

Delaware River Heritage Trail

The Delaware River Heritage Trail celebrates the area's culture and dedication to environmental conservation. The Trail invites visitors and locals to run, bike, and hike along the beautiful pathway. The Trail also serves as an outdoor classroom for students of all ages to learn more about the historic and ecological wonders along the Delaware River.

Dennis Creek Wildlife Management Area

The Dennis Creek WMA covers most of the marsh area west of Route 47 and the areas north and south of Dennis Creek in Cape May County. This WMA exemplifies New Jersey's finest salt marshes, but also encompasses tidal wetlands and a few fields and forested areas. The WMA aims to preserve the abundance and availability of the tidal food web for fish, shellfish, and local wildlife. Species native to the area include black ducks, snow geese, teal, shorebirds, deer, woodcock, and marine fish.

Elmer Lake Wildlife Management Area

Have your hiking boots? Fishing rods? Hunting equipment? Binoculars? That’s pretty much all you’ll need to enjoy a day at Elmer Lake Wildlife Management Area. With 279 acres of rustic wetlands, lake area and forests, the WMA is rich in flora, fauna and wildlife. Hike the trails or load your boat into the 45 acre Elmer Lake and spend a lazy afternoon fishing or watching birds up close and personal.

Four Seasons Family Campground

You never know when you are going to get the urge to get away from it all and when you do, the Four Season Family Campground will be waiting for you. Bring your trailer, tent, or check into one of their cabins for a day, week, or longer. Fully-loaded with sports facilities, a rec hall, a lake for swimming and fishing, a busy calendar of themed events and the all-important utility hook-ups and showers, you’ll find everything you need for your outdoor escape.

Gloucester County Parks System

You decide what you want to do -- fish, go boating, play ball, explore history, discover nature, have a picnic, or whatever else. Then visit one of the four parks within the Gloucester County Park System. Well-equipped with scads of amenities and busy with programs and activities, Scotland Run, Red Bank Battlefield, Greenwich Lake or the James G. Atkinson Memorial parks all have lots of ways for you to get out and play.

Greenwich Lake Park

The 40-acre spring-fed Greenwich Lake is stocked with trout and open year-round for fishing. The park's boat launch is open on weekends only during the summer season. Visitors also can enjoy watching wildlife in the natural surroundings, use picnic tables and grills and a playground. A picnic shelter and restrooms are available.

Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh

Located southeast of Trenton in Hamilton Township, the 1,250 acre Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh is the northernmost freshwater tidal marsh on the Delaware River. The marsh includes both tidal and nontidal marshland, forested swamp and upland and second-growth forest. The diverse habitat also supports an astonishing 550 species of plants, more then 230 species of birds and lots of mammals, amphibians and reptiles, many of which are rare and endangered species.

Harold N. Peek Preserve

If you are a newcomer to hiking, birding or just appreciating nature, the Harold N. Peek Preserve is a good place to start. It's also a good place to head if you are an experienced naturalist. The Preserves' 256-acres are threaded with three trails that will lead you past cedar and hardwood swamps, Pine Barrens, and one of the largest wild rice marshes in New Jersey. The birding is exceptional and as for wildlife, you don’t even have to try hard to see it.

Deep in the heart of Bass River State Park, you’ll find Lake Absegami -- 67 acres of cool, refreshing fun. During the summer months, the Lake is a popular spot for a cool dip and with playground equipment nearby. Boating and canoeing are also permitted in areas of the lake. The Natural Area surrounding the Lake is a nature-watcher’s dream, especially for birders who want to add songbirds to their life list. Nature trails wind through the Absegami wetlands forest, thick with Atlant

Long Bridge Park

Right along the Rancocas Creek, Long Bridge Park has a little of everything that goes into making a great park . . . forested areas, pond, wetlands, meadows, marshland and lots of space for families to play. You can hike along four trails that wind 2.5 miles past fishing spots, picnic tables and pavilions, playground and nature areas.

Mad Horse Creek Wildlife Management Area

Keep going down the private road, go past the farmlands and you’ll get to the wetlands and wide open spaces of Mad Horse Creek Wildlife Management Area. Load your boat in at the boat ramp and go deeper into the marshes and wetlands to get a closer look at the birds, wildlife and foliage. Or drop your line for an afternoon of fishing. Don't worry, they didn't forget you Landlubbers out there. Mad Horse also has plenty of biking and hiking trails.

Makepeace Lake Wildlife Management Area

There isn't really much to do at Makepeace Lake WIldlife Management Area. Well, other than fishing. And hunting. And birding. And nature photography. And exploring the untouched 12,000 acres of pure Pinelands landscape. For outdoors fans, Makepeace Lake WMA is a giant natural playland filled with birds, wildlife and quiet places to escape city life.

Maria Barnaby Greenwald Memorial Park

This Park is 47.21 acres and is very beautiful. It has a playground, softball fields, volleyball courts, and a cross-country pass. It also has picnic tables set up. And for all those two-wheelers, there is a bike path that travels through the whole park.

Maskell's Mill Wildlife Management Area

Just a short five miles from the Delaware Bay are 33 acres of pure, untouched forest and a rural pond that anglers and birders like to call their very own. Load in your canoe, kayak or electric motor boat and idle away the afternoon fishing. Or lift your eyes to the skies to spot the many species of birds that flit around the refuge, especially during migration season.

Named for its surrounding park that features several war and public service memorials, Memorial Lake is just one of many reasons for visit Woodstown.

< Previous1 2 Next >

This website and the forevergreen South Jersey Ecotourism Marketing Initiative has been made possible through the generous support of:

The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation

The William Penn Foundation

©South Jersey Toursim Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Designed by Osiris Group, Inc.